European Baby Formula Comparison Chart
Last reviewed November 8, 2026
This chart sets 23 imported Stage 1 (from-birth) formulas from 8 brands side by side (European brands, plus LittleOak, made with New Zealand goat milk), using brand ingredient lists (named retailer pages where the brand’s site has none): the milk base, the carbohydrates, the oils, whether palm oil is named, prebiotic oligosaccharides, bacterial cultures, the DHA source, organic status and price per ounce. 13 of the 23 do not name palm oil, 8 are goat-milk based, and 5 name a bacterial culture. It covers formulas Formuland sells and is not a ranking; talk to your pediatrician before you choose or switch.
- Milk base: HiPP PUR PRE, HiPP PUR 1, Holle Goat PRE, Holle Goat 1, Kendamil (all 5), Kabrita 1, NANNYcare 1, LittleOak 1 name whole (full-cream) milk; HiPP UK Organic 1, HiPP Dutch 1, HiPP German PRE, HiPP German 1, HiPP German Goat PRE, Holle PRE, Holle 1, Holle A2 1, Aptamil Profutura 1, Töpfer 1 name skimmed milk instead.
- Carbohydrate: lactose is the only sugar or starch named on every Stage 1 here except HiPP German 1, which also lists starch (oligosaccharides are shown separately).
- DHA: HiPP (all 8), Aptamil Profutura 1 name fish oil; Holle (all 5), Kendamil (all 5), Kabrita 1, NANNYcare 1, LittleOak 1, Töpfer 1 name algal oil.
European baby formula comparison chart (Stage 1 and PRE)
Grouped by brand. Tap a formula name to open it in the shop.
| Formula (Stage 1 / PRE) | Milk ingredients (in label order) | Sugars and starches named | Oils and fats named | Palm oil | Oligosaccharides named | Bacterial cultures named | DHA source | Organic | Size · price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiPP | All HiPP formulas → | ||||||||
| HiPP UK Organic 1UK pack · Cow’s milk | Organic skimmed milk, organic whey product | Lactose | Organic palm, rapeseed and sunflower oils | Palm oil named | GOS | None named | Fish oil | Organic ingredients (label) | 800 g $1.77/oz |
| HiPP Dutch 1Dutch pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk, whey product (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, rapeseed and sunflower oils | Palm oil named | GOS | Limosilactobacillus fermentum (natural lactic acid culture) | Fish oil | Organic (label) | 800 g $1.77/oz |
| HiPP German PREGerman pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk, whey product (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, rapeseed and sunflower oils | Palm oil named | GOS | Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 | Fish oil | Organic (EU Bio label) | 600 g $1.94/oz |
| HiPP German 1German pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk, whey powder product (organic) | Starch, lactose | Organic palm, rapeseed and sunflower oils | Palm oil named | GOS | Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 | Fish oil | Organic (EU Bio label) | 600 g $1.94/oz |
| HiPP PUR PREGerman pack · Cow’s milk | Whey product, whole milk powder 18% (organic) | Lactose | Organic sunflower and rapeseed oils; milk fat from whole milk powder | Not named | Not named | None named | Fish oil | Organic (EU Bio label) | 500 g $1.59/oz |
| HiPP PUR 1German pack · Cow’s milk | Whey product, whole milk powder 18% (organic) | Lactose | Organic sunflower and rapeseed oils; milk fat from whole milk powder | Not named | Not named | None named | Fish oil | Organic (EU Bio label) | 500 g $1.59/oz |
| HiPP Dutch Goat 1Dutch pack · Goat’s milk | Goat milk, goat milk powder (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, rapeseed and sunflower oils | Palm oil named | GOS | None named | Fish oil | Organic (label) | 400 g $2.98/oz |
| HiPP German Goat PREGerman pack · Goat’s milk | Skimmed goat milk, skimmed goat milk powder (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, rapeseed and sunflower oils | Palm oil named | GOS | None named | Fish oil | Organic (EU Bio label) | 400 g $2.76/oz |
| Holle | All Holle formulas → | ||||||||
| Holle PREGerman-language pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk (Demeter), whey product (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, sunflower and rapeseed oils | Palm oil named | Not named | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic; milk from Demeter (biodynamic) farms | 400 g $1.95/oz |
| Holle 1German-language pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk (Demeter), whey product (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, sunflower and rapeseed oils | Palm oil named | Not named | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic; milk from Demeter (biodynamic) farms | 400 g $1.95/oz |
| Holle Goat PREGerman-language pack · Goat’s milk | Goat whole milk, goat whole milk powder (Demeter) | Lactose | Organic sunflower and rapeseed oils; milk fat from goat whole milk | Not named | Not named | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic; goat milk from Demeter (biodynamic) farms | 400 g $2.41/oz |
| Holle Goat 1German-language pack · Goat’s milk | Goat whole milk, goat whole milk powder (Demeter) | Lactose | Organic sunflower and rapeseed oils; milk fat from goat whole milk | Not named | Not named | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic; goat milk from Demeter (biodynamic) farms | 400 g $2.41/oz |
| Holle A2 1German-language pack · A2 cow’s milk | Skimmed A2 milk, whey product (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, sunflower and rapeseed oils | Palm oil named | Not named | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic (not Demeter) | 400 g $2.41/oz |
| Kendamil | All Kendamil formulas → | ||||||||
| Kendamil Classic 1UK pack · Cow’s milk | Whole milk, skimmed milk, demineralised whey, whey protein concentrate | Lactose | Sunflower, coconut and rapeseed oils; milk fat from whole milk | Not named | GOS, FOS | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Not labelled organic | 800 g $1.77/oz |
| Kendamil Organic 1UK pack · Cow’s milk | Organic whole milk, organic demineralised whey, organic skimmed milk | Lactose | Organic sunflower, coconut and rapeseed oils; milk fat from whole milk | Not named | GOS | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic ingredients (label) | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| Kendamil Premium 1Czech pack · Cow’s milk | Whole milk, demineralised whey protein, skimmed milk, alpha-lactalbumin-enriched whey protein concentrate | Lactose | Sunflower, coconut and rapeseed oils; milk fat from whole milk | Not named | GOS, FOS | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Not labelled organic | 800 g $1.77/oz |
| Kendamil BIO Nature 1Czech pack · Cow’s milk | Organic whole milk, organic whey protein, organic cream | Lactose | Organic sunflower, coconut and rapeseed oils; organic cream; milk fat from whole milk | Not named | GOS | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic (EU Bio label) | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| Kendamil Goat 1UK pack · Goat’s milk | Whole goat milk, demineralised goat whey powder | Lactose | Sunflower, coconut and rapeseed oils; milk fat from whole goat milk | Not named | GOS | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Not labelled organic | 800 g $2.41/oz |
| Aptamil | All Aptamil formulas → | ||||||||
| Aptamil Profutura 1German pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk, whey product, whey protein | Lactose | Anhydrous milk fat 12%; sunflower, soy, coconut and rapeseed oils 12% | Not named | GOS, FOS, 2'-FL | None named | Fish oil | Not labelled organic | 800 g $2.34/oz |
| Kabrita | All Kabrita formulas → | ||||||||
| Kabrita 1Dutch pack · Goat’s milk | Whole goat milk, goat whey protein concentrate | Lactose | OPO structured fat (1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride), rapeseed and sunflower oils; milk fat from whole goat milk | Not named (OPO listed) | GOS, 2'-FL | Bifidobacterium animalis | Algal oil | Not labelled organic | 800 g $2.30/oz |
| NANNYcare | All NANNYcare formulas → | ||||||||
| NANNYcare 1UK pack · Goat’s milk | Pasteurised whole goat milk, goat milk powders | Lactose | High oleic sunflower, rapeseed and sunflower oils; milk fat from whole goat milk | Not named | 2'-FL | None named | Algal oil | Not labelled organic | 800 g $2.41/oz |
| LittleOak | All LittleOak formulas → | ||||||||
| LittleOak 1New Zealand goat milk (brand site) · Goat’s milk | Full cream goat milk solids | Lactose | Sunflower, pressed olive, pressed coconut and pressed flaxseed oils; milk fat from full cream goat milk | Not named | GOS | None named | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Not labelled organic | 800 g $2.02/oz |
| Töpfer | All Töpfer formulas → | ||||||||
| Töpfer 1German pack · Cow’s milk | Skimmed milk, whey product, skimmed milk powder (organic) | Lactose | Organic palm, sunflower and rapeseed oils | Palm oil named | GOS | Bifidobacteria (B. breve, B. bifidum, B. infantis, B. longum) | Algal oil (Schizochytrium) | Organic (EU Bio label) | 600 g $1.65/oz |
Swipe sideways on a phone. Each row summarizes the brand’s ingredient list, or the named retailer page where the brand’s site has none (sources at the end of the page), checked November 8, 2026: translated into English, shortened, in label order. Other ingredients (often lactose or oils) can come before or between the milk ingredients shown. “Not named” means the list does not name it; it does not prove absence. Oligosaccharides (GOS, FOS, 2’-FL) are shown in their own column. Price per ounce of powder uses the Formuland single-unit price on November 8, 2026.
LittleOak: FDA’s 2023 consumer alert is still posted and advises caregivers not to feed LittleOak Infant Formula. Our baby formula recall tracker gives the reason and the current status.
Which European formulas do not name palm oil?
Palm oil not named (13)
Kabrita lists OPO (1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride), a structured fat; its ingredient list does not say what the fat is made from. Every formula here that names palm oil marks it as organic in its ingredient list.
How much does each formula cost per ounce?
Price per ounce of powder = Formuland single-unit price ÷ pack weight, November 8, 2026. Töpfer is sold in packs of four boxes; its per-box price is used. This compares powder weight, not feeding yield, and leaves out shipping, tax, discounts and subscription prices.
How do the stages differ?
Stage 1 (or PRE) is for babies from birth. Later stages can change the carbohydrates. What the Stage 2 and 3 labels we opened show:
- HiPP German Bio Combiotik: Stage 1 names starch; Stage 2 does not (the label PDF says “NEU: OHNE STÄRKE”). (label)
- Holle cow’s milk: the Stage 2 list names maltodextrin and starch; the PRE and Stage 1 lists name lactose. (label)
- Holle goat milk: Stage 2 adds maltodextrin and starch to lactose. (label)
- Töpfer goat Stage 2 names maltodextrin, lactose and starch. (label)
- HiPP German HA PRE and HA 1 now print the same ingredient list, with lactose as the only sugar or starch (hipp.de, label V5 04/25). (label)
- HiPP Dutch Stage 2 and 3 name lactose as the only sugar or starch; Dutch Junior 4 is not labelled organic. (label)
Specialty formulas: HA, comfort, anti-reflux, lactose-free and hydrolysed
These formulas are not interchangeable. Several are labelled by the brand as foods for special medical purposes, which are used under medical supervision. Comfort, anti-reflux and lactose-free formulas are not substitutes for a formula your pediatrician chooses for a milk allergy. “HA” does not mean a formula treats a milk allergy: HiPP’s HA 1 label says it must not be used when a cow’s milk protein allergy already exists. Lactose-free formula still contains cow’s milk protein.
| Formula | Type (as the brand describes it) | Protein named | Sugars and starches named | Also named | Size · price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiPP HA PRE CombiotikCow’s milk | Hydrolysed (HA) | Hydrolysed whey protein | Lactose | Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716; palm oil named | 600 g $2.05/oz |
| HiPP HA 1 CombiotikCow’s milk | Hydrolysed (HA); label: strongly split (hydrolysed) protein | Hydrolysed whey protein | Lactose | Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716; palm oil named | 600 g $2.05/oz |
| HiPP Dutch HA 1 CombiotikCow’s milk | Hydrolysed (HA) | Hydrolysed whey protein | Lactose | Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716; palm oil named | 800 g $2.37/oz |
| Aptamil HA PRECow’s milk | Hydrolysed (HA) | Whey protein hydrolysate | Lactose | Bifidobacterium breve M-16V; palm oil not named | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| HiPP Comfort (German)Cow’s milk | Special medical purpose food ("Spezialnahrung") | Hydrolysed whey protein | Lactose, maltodextrin, starch | Beta-palmitate; Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 | 600 g $1.94/oz |
| HiPP UK Comfort MilkCow’s milk | Food for special medical purposes (HiPP UK); use under medical supervision | Hydrolysed whey protein | Lactose, maltodextrin, starch | Beta-palmitate; palm oil named; no ingredient marked organic | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| Aptamil ComfortCow’s milk | Special medical purpose food ("Spezialnahrung") | Hydrolysed whey protein | Glucose syrup, starch, maltodextrin, lactose | Palm oil named | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| Kendamil ComfortCow’s milk | Food for special medical purposes | Partially hydrolysed whey protein | Soluble dextrin, lactose | Cream (milk fat); palm oil not named | 800 g $1.88/oz |
| HiPP Anti-Reflux (German)Cow’s milk | Thickened, special medical purpose food | Skimmed milk, whey product | Lactose; thickener locust bean gum | Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 | 600 g $1.94/oz |
| HiPP UK Anti-Reflux MilkCow’s milk | Thickened, food for special medical purposes (HiPP UK); use under medical supervision | Skimmed milk, whey product | Lactose; thickener carob bean gum | Palm oil named; no culture named; no ingredient marked organic | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| Aptamil Anti-RefluxCow’s milk | Thickened, special medical purpose food | Skimmed milk, demineralised whey, whey protein | Lactose; thickener locust bean gum 3.5% | Palm oil named | 800 g $1.95/oz |
| Aptamil Pepti SYNEOCow’s milk | Extensively hydrolysed, special medical purpose food | Whey protein hydrolysate | Maltodextrin; the brand page says it also contains lactose (2.9 g per 100 ml) | Bifidobacterium breve M-16V; palm oil named | 400 g $3.19/oz |
| Aptamil Lactose FreeCow’s milk | Lactose-free | Calcium caseinate (from milk) | Glucose syrup, maltodextrin (no lactose named) | Contains cow’s milk protein; the brand says it is not suitable for babies with galactosaemia; palm oil named | 400 g $2.27/oz |
How to read a formula ingredient list
-
Check the stage and age
Use the stage printed for your baby’s age. PRE and Stage 1 are from birth. Stage numbers and ages vary by brand and market; a later stage is not an upgrade, and toddler milks are not for babies under 12 months.
-
Read the first ingredients
Ingredients are listed by weight, largest first, so the first few tell you what the formula is mostly made of (EU Regulation 1169/2011, Art. 18).
-
Find the carbohydrates
Look for lactose, maltodextrin, starch or glucose syrup, and note which come first.
-
Look inside the oil brackets
The oils are named in brackets after “vegetable oils”, which is where palm, coconut or olive oil appears.
-
Mix exactly as printed
Scoop sizes and water amounts differ between brands. Follow the table on the pack you are using. Powdered formula is not sterile: ask your pediatrician how to prepare it, especially for a newborn, a baby born early or a baby with a weakened immune system.
European formula comparison: common questions
What is the difference between HiPP, Holle and Kendamil formula?
On the Stage 1 and PRE labels compared here, every Kendamil formula names whole milk and none names palm oil. HiPP and Holle cow’s-milk formulas name skimmed milk and whey as their milk ingredients and name organic palm oil, except HiPP PUR PRE and PUR 1, which name whole milk powder and no palm oil. HiPP Dutch 1, HiPP German PRE, HiPP German 1 name a lactic acid culture (Limosilactobacillus fermentum); no Holle or Kendamil formula here names a culture. HiPP names fish oil as the DHA source; Holle and Kendamil name algal oil.
Which European baby formulas do not list palm oil?
Of the 23 Stage 1 formulas on this chart, 13 do not name palm oil in their ingredient list: HiPP PUR PRE, HiPP PUR 1, Holle Goat PRE, Holle Goat 1, Kendamil Classic 1, Kendamil Organic 1, Kendamil Premium 1, Kendamil BIO Nature 1, Kendamil Goat 1, Aptamil Profutura 1, Kabrita 1, NANNYcare 1, LittleOak 1.
Which European formulas are made with goat milk?
8 of the formulas compared are goat-milk based: HiPP Dutch Goat 1, HiPP German Goat PRE, Holle Goat PRE, Holle Goat 1, Kendamil Goat 1, Kabrita 1, NANNYcare 1, LittleOak 1. Goat-milk formula is not suitable for babies with a cow’s milk protein allergy; ask your pediatrician.
Which ingredient lists name bacterial cultures?
5 name a bacterial culture in the ingredient list: HiPP Dutch 1 (Limosilactobacillus fermentum (natural lactic acid culture)); HiPP German PRE (Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716); HiPP German 1 (Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716); Kabrita 1 (Bifidobacterium animalis); Töpfer 1 (Bifidobacteria (B. breve, B. bifidum, B. infantis, B. longum)). This chart does not assess how many live bacteria a formula contains or what they do.
Do any Stage 1 formulas list starch or maltodextrin?
On this chart, HiPP German 1 lists starch at Stage 1. Several brands add them from Stage 2 on (see “How do the stages differ?” above).
What does PRE mean on German formula?
PRE is the first stage on German packs, used from birth. On the PRE labels compared here (HiPP German PRE, HiPP PUR PRE, HiPP German Goat PRE, Holle PRE and Holle Goat PRE), lactose is the only sugar or starch named (oligosaccharides are listed separately).
How do you compare formula prices fairly?
Compare price per ounce of powder, not price per can: pack sizes run from 400 g to 800 g. Mix each formula exactly as printed on its own pack, because scoop sizes and water amounts differ between brands. Price per ounce of powder compares purchase weight, not feeding yield.
Shop by brand
Method, sources and limits
How this chart was made. For each formula we opened the product page or label listed under Sources on November 8, 2026: the brand’s own where it has one, a named retailer page otherwise. Cells summarize it: translated into English, shortened, and kept in label order; they are not complete ingredient lists. “Not named” means the list does not name the ingredient; it does not prove that a nutrient, allergen or ingredient is absent, and it is not a lab test. Where the brand’s site had no list we used a named retailer page and say so. Recipes change: the pack you receive is the final word.
What this chart is not. It compares formulas Formuland sells, so it is not a list of every formula, and it is not a ranking. The presence, absence or source of an ingredient is not a rating of quality, safety or suitability for a particular baby. It does not compare nutrient amounts, and similar ingredients do not make two formulas interchangeable. Talk to your pediatrician before you start or switch a formula.
Sources (Stage 1 and specialty):
- HiPP UK Organic 1: hipp.co.uk product page
- HiPP Dutch 1: hipp.nl label PDF NL2472-03
- HiPP German PRE: hipp.de product page (label PDF)
- HiPP German 1: hipp.de product page (label PDF, recipe dated 03/26)
- HiPP PUR PRE: hipp.de product page
- HiPP PUR 1: hipp.de label PDF (DA20013, marked NEU)
- HiPP Dutch Goat 1: hipp.nl label PDF NL20003
- HiPP German Goat PRE: hipp.de product page (label PDF)
- Holle PRE: holle.ch product page
- Holle 1: holle.ch product page
- Holle Goat PRE: holle.ch product page
- Holle Goat 1: holle.ch product page
- Holle A2 1: holle.ch product page
- Kendamil Classic 1: kendamil.com product page
- Kendamil Organic 1: kendamil.com product page
- Kendamil Premium 1: kendamil.cz product page
- Kendamil BIO Nature 1: kendamil.cz product page
- Kendamil Goat 1: kendamil.com product page
- Aptamil Profutura 1: aptaclub.de product page
- Kabrita 1: kabrita.nl product page
- NANNYcare 1: nannycare.co.uk product page
- LittleOak 1: LittleOak global store (brand-owned)
- Töpfer 1: dm.de product page (German retailer; Töpfer's own site shows no list)
- HiPP HA PRE Combiotik: hipp.de
- HiPP HA 1 Combiotik: hipp.de label PDF (2142-03, V5 04/25)
- HiPP Dutch HA 1 Combiotik: ah.nl retailer page (hipp.nl page NL2142-03F gives no list)
- Aptamil HA PRE: aptaclub.de
- HiPP Comfort (German): hipp.de
- HiPP UK Comfort Milk: hipp.co.uk product page
- Aptamil Comfort: aptaclub.de
- Kendamil Comfort: kendamil.com
- HiPP Anti-Reflux (German): hipp.de
- HiPP UK Anti-Reflux Milk: hipp.co.uk product page
- Aptamil Anti-Reflux: aptaclub.de
- Aptamil Pepti SYNEO: aptaclub.de
- Aptamil Lactose Free: aptaclub.co.uk product page
Sources (later stages):
Not compared:
- Lebenswert, Holle Dutch cans (cow and goat) and HiPP International (LT): no ingredient list on the brand’s own site.
- Standard Aptamil Stage 1 tubs: our listing’s list is close to, but not the same as, the UK/Ireland list on aptaclub.ie, and the pack market is not confirmed, so it is left out.
- Aptamil Pepti MCT: the only brand page under this name (aptaclub.lt) shows a 450 g pack; our listing says 400 g, so it is left out until the pack is confirmed.
- Premibio and Bébé M: currently out of stock at Formuland; the brands’ own product pages are offline.
